New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Fisco Fire’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea  Impatiens  plant named ‘Fisco Fire’, characterized by its relatively compact, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; rounded growth habit; freely branching and freely flowering habit; dark green-colored foliage; large bright red-colored flowers; and flowers that are positioned above or beyond the foliage.

Botanical designation: Impatiens hawkeri.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Fisco Fire’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fisco Fire’.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany and Galdar, Canary Islands, Spain. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new compact Impatiens cultivars that flower relatively early and have attractive flower coloration.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor during the summer of 2001 in Hillscheid, Germany of the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Fisnics Scarlet, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,672, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number K01-8773-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Fisco Fire was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Galdar, Canary Islands, Spain in April, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in Galdar, Canary Islands, Spain since September, 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fisco Fire’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fisco Fire’ as a new and distinct Impatiens cultivar:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded         plant habit; rounded growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching and freely flowering habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored foliage.     -   4. Large bright red-colored flowers.     -   5. Flowers that are positioned above or beyond the foliage.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Fisnics Scarlet. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Fisnics Scarlet in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens were smaller than plants of the         cultivar Fisnics Scarlet.     -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens had smaller and darker         green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar Fisnics         Scarlet.     -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens flowered earlier than plants of         the cultivar Fisnics Scarlet.     -   4. Plants of the new Impatiens had smaller flowers than plants         of the cultivar Fisnics Scarlet.     -   5. Plants of the new Impatiens had shorter peduncles than plants         of the cultivar Fisnics Scarlet.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens were shorter than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens flowered earlier than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens and the male parent selection         differed in flower color.

Plants of the new Impatiens can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Visinfscar, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,109. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Visinfscar in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens were smaller than plants of the         cultivar Visinfscar.     -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens were denser than plants of the         cultivar Visinfscar.     -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens had lighter-colored leaf veins         than plants of the cultivar Visinfscar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Impatiens. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fisco Fire’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Fisco Fire has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Hillscheid, Germany, under commercial production practice in a glass-covered greenhouse. Rooted young plants were planted in 12-cm containers and the aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements were taken about three months later. During the production of the plants, day temperatures were about 16° C. to 20° C. and night temperatures were about 16° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Fisco Fire. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Fisnics Scarlet,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,672.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri             identified as code number K01-8773-1, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 10 days at 24° C.             Winter: About 12 to 15 days at 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Summer: About 15 days at             24° C. Winter: About 18 to 20 days at 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, 158D in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   General appearance.—Relatively compact, outwardly spreading             and uniformly mounded plant growth habit; low and rounded             growth habit; freely branching habit; bushy appearance;             freely flowering. Low to moderate vigor.         -   Crop time.—From a rooted cutting, about nine weeks are             required to produce finished flowering plants in 12-cm             containers.         -   Plant height.—About 11.3 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 21.8 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: About six. Length:             About 5 cm to 6 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm to 6 mm. Internode             length: About 1 cm to 2 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: 144B; near the nodes, overlain with 181A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Primarily in whorls.             Length: About 9.8 cm. Width: About 4 cm. Shape: Elliptic.             Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute. Margin: Serrulate with             ciliation. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             slightly rugose; glabrous. Color: Developing foliage, upper             surface: 137C to 143A. Developing foliage, lower surface:             138B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 137A. Fully             expanded foliage, lower surface: 138B. Venation, upper             surface: 47A. Venation, lower surface: 184B. Petiole:             Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface:             184C. Color, lower surface: 184B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single, large and rounded             flowers. Freely and continuously flowering; usually about             six to nine flowers and flower buds per lateral branch.             Flowers positioned above or beyond the foliage; flowers             typically face parallel to the leaf canopy. Petals not             persistent; gynoecium persistent. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the plant.         -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions.             Early flowering habit; plants begin flowering about nine             weeks after planting.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 cm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: 44A.         -   Flower length.—About 6.3 cm.         -   Flower width.—About 6.3 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: Five per flower, imbricate. Length: Banner             petals: About 2.8 cm. Lateral and base petals: About 3 cm to             3.2 cm. Width: Banner petal: About 4.5 cm. Lateral petals:             About 3 cm. Base petals: About 3.8 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex:             Moderately lobed; emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Aspect: Nearly flat to slightly concave. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, satiny. Color: When             opening, upper surface: 44A. When opening, lower surface:             44B to 44C. Fully opened, upper surface: 44B; towards the             base, 45D. Fully opened, lower surface: 44C.         -   Spur.—Quantity: One per flower. Length: About 5.5 cm.             Diameter: At apex: About 0.5 mm. At flower: About 3 mm.             Aspect: Curved. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: N34A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong, flexible.             Color: N34C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five fused             at anthers, hooded; filaments free. Anther length: About             6 mm. Anther shape: Obovate. Anther color: 45C. Pollen             amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 8D. Gynoecium: Pistil             quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 5 mm to 6 mm.             Stigma color: 12D. Style color: 12D. Ovary: Five-celled.             Ovary color: 143A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Impatiens. -   Low temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been     observed to tolerate night temperatures of 5° C. with 10° C. day     temperatures. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Fisco Fire’, as illustrated and described. 